My first post here, so be gentle. :) I have a couple of items in need of help on.

Equipment:

Sony Trinitron KD-34xbr970
Onkyo HT-SR800
Cox HiDef cable box (forget the brand)

I have a HDMI cable running from the cable box directly to the TV. I'm running a digital coax from the digital audio output (dolby digital/PCM) of the TV to the digital coax input on the SR800. I get no sound. I've tried manually changing the input interface from PCM to DTS and back to auto, but still no signal. One thing I noticed, the output jack from the TV is black, rather than orange as on the receiver. Is this output not compatible with the Onkyo? If not, what is black for?

Then, going another route, I bought an optical coax to run from the cable box directly to the receiver (the HDMI still running directly to the TV from cable). The sound now is weak. Is the bandwidth being split? Is that the problem? When I switch TV input away from cable to say...DVD, the cable volume cranks up to normal range. Am I supposed to buy a second HDMI cable and go from cable box-receiver-TV? I'll still need to run the optical coax directly from the cable box since I can't get a digital signal from the TV (yet). Won't I still have the issue of low volume?

I get great sound when running digital coax from the DVD directly to the SR800.

I hope this is easier for someone to understand than it was for me to explain. :)

Thanks in advance,

Steve

I have no idea why you're getting a low volume when going optical from cable box to receiver.

In general, when HDMI is involved on the receiver side, you are intended to go from source (box) to receiver to TV.

TVs typically don't output the audio through their digital output, unless the TVs tuner is doing the reception. Thus, off-air HDTV tuned by the TV might feed its audio out the TV digital out, but the cable box data coming in through HDMI won't.

I appreciate the info regarding the digital output of the TV. Regarding the low volume, when I disconnect the HDMI cable, the volume increases significantly. That's why I'm wondering if the bandwidth of the signal is halved.

I guess I'm reluctant to buy a second HDMI cable (expense), if I still encounter the low volume, considering the receiver is only pass thru.

I've since pulled the HDMI cable and used component video from the cable box to the TV and optical from the cable box to the receiver. That works great. But now I have a HDMI cable that I'm not using. Is there much degradation in video by not using HDMI?

That's why I'm wondering if the bandwidth of the signal is halved.


No such thing for digital. It either works, or doesn't.

I guess I'm reluctant to buy a second HDMI cable (expense)

Good quality cables are not that expensive (http://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/dvi/index.htm).

Is there much degradation in video by not using HDMI?

Some people say there is, other say there isn't. It depends on your equipment and preferences.

No such thing for digital. It either works, or doesn't.

ok...I appreciate that. So now I'm confused as to why the volume is appreciably louder thru the optical cable once I've disconnected the HDMI cable.

Getting back to the issue of no signal from the TV's pcm audio output. I've since read that audio via HDMI is bitstream/DTS (correct?). Does this explain (to me) why no audio is coming from the TV when connected to the source via HDMI?

I'm certainly not doubting jwatte, I just need to know why - to better understand.

Thanks again